By storm I refer to the economic and social conditions in our world that are leaving billions of people hurting and without hope. Whether it be families in developed nations suffering under the global recession, or the famine that is devastating millions of lives in the Horn of Africa. If we step back from our own immediate concerns, and look at the world as a whole, the picture of inequality and negligence is unacceptable and without any reasonable justification. And yet whose accountable for addressing it?

Although it is easy at this point to delegate that responsibility to governments, NGOs and aid organisations, I think we’re missing the true challenge. I read in the Sydney Morning Herald a few weeks back that World Vision and other agencies responding to the African crisis have only been able to raise 30% of the funds they need. People simply aren’t giving because times are tough on the home front. Yet if we stop and reflect on what tough times really mean in our worlds versus those who don’t even have the basics to stay alive, the contrast is sobering.

The reason I’m sharing these views is simple. If we are to see a reversal in the economic conditions and marketplaces that we work, we need to first be willing to stand in the approaching storm for what is right. Increasing our wealth while ignoring the needs of others is not a formula for sustainable success. We have an opportunity now to look at giving, to become commercial organisations that reach out and bring increase and a helping hand. We have the opportunity in our generation to revolutionise the markets of the world by investing in those nations that have little and creating new long term markets which provide hope and sustainability to 60% of the world’s population today that have nothing.

Perhaps if we stand for what is morally right we will in turn see miraculous changes that impact everyone and increase the size of the pie for the whole world.

The principles covered in the book are not new, Jesus Christ taught on the power of investing in others rather than pursuing a self-focused life. However the metaphor of being “in the box” and the applications of this metaphor are both simple and powerful to comprehend. The writers effectively link the lessons to the workplace and personal lives of the primary characters, illustrating how human relationships are underpinned by choices we can control. So if organisations are simply groups of interacting people, then applications of these principles can transform work place environments.

The book is an easy read but packed with powerful “light bulb” content. It speaks to the very heart of leadership that is focused on the success and development of others; a model that is so powerful in mobilising groups of people yet rarely understood or used.

My rating: 7/10 – Recommended for anybody involved in relationships. This book is not just for “leaders” but for people who want to have more positive interactions with others in their lives.

While pragmatic I wonder if this general approach is full of risks. Risks that we’ll make the “right” decisions only to get the wrong outcomes; or that we’ll incur unintended consequences; or that we’ll miss unplanned benefits. For example, when we look at taking labour costs out of an organisation we typically focus on the easy justifications. Less people = less cost = improved bottom line result. And while we look at the people impact, consider the loss of IP and impact on staff morale etc… we seldom quanitfy these in a way that changes a business case. Rather, we look at them as things that need to be managed through good HR practices. Within our boardrooms we accept this as sensible business practice and can justify its importance to ongoing business sustainability, returns to our stakeholders and so forth. But to people outside of our organisations these actions often seem foolish. Why is there a disconnect?

Perhaps the perspective we need to consider is in the everyday world of our lives we have an awareness that all things work together. We don’t make decisions in our personal lives that are purely driven by financial metrics. We consider other factors like relationship impacts, health and wellbeing, whether a decision aligns with our longer terms plans, and a variety of other consequences. I sometimes wonder if we should bring some of that thinking back into our organisations. Maybe we need to look beyond the short-term financial returns and consider investing beyond. For our people, our cusotmers and our stakeholders. This approach considers the truism that people’s value cannot be measured by their salary costs, and therefore with every downsizing exercise we potentially act on a poor business case – where the cost to our organisation is far greater than the benefit it receives.

Again I recognise the simplicity of this argument, however sometimes its healthy to step back and look at things with a more basic, common sense, lense and just ask the question: is this the best way to build our future?

It got me thinking about those problems that seem insurmountable, and how one of the easiest ways to deal with them is to fall into a place of acceptance. Its easier to accept that something is too hard, too big, too complicated to fix than to feel that awful feeling of helplessness in the face of trying to solve it. While global poverty is certainly at one end of the scale, we face issues like this much closer to home on a daily basis. For example, how do we fix an organisation’s culture where some ingrained attitudes and behaviours are destructive but too hard to change? Or another example, how do we build for long-term results when our success is measured by short-term financial outcomes?

But to choose acceptance with a “that’s just the way it is” mantra cannot be the answer. At some point there has to be a collective rejection of the norm and a willingness to sacrifice comfort and safety to enable change. I reject that a negative culture can’t be changed. I reject that investor lead organisations can’t build something that their people feel proud of. And I reject that global poverty can’t be addressed in an effective way that leads to the improvement of millions of lives.

This is the starting point in driving change. Rejecting the norm. And its liberating. What follows is where the real excitement lies.

The problem with this type of statistic is that it is both difficult to put into a context and identify a solution for. Applying this in a meaningful way to daily lives is hard, and it is somewhat overwhelming when you do consider what it really means. I find it too easy to acknowledge it as terrible, react with a statement to that effect, and then move on with life in the belief that there are organisations out addressing the issues; or that it’s just a fact of life and there will always be those in poverty and desperate need around us. And as long as the majority of us react in a similar way, the latter statement will be self-fulfilling.

However if you step back and actually consider what that statistic really means it is hard to so easily compartmentalise. When you think about the fact that every child born into our world has gifts, talents, creative abilities and problem solving skills, a natural need to contribute, and an inherent desire for purpose in life. And when you think about the value that we place on our children in countries that have a wealth of developmental and educational resources. When you consider these things it is hard to look away from the nameless faces of those billion children who have just as much to offer the world.

Perhaps the answers to many of the problems that our world faces lies in the minds and abilities of these children. Perhaps they are the hope and future that we often talk about but fail to capitalise on.

What people and organisations are out there making a difference in this space? How are we shifting our perspectives on leadership to use the emerging technologies at our disposal to truly bring a difference?

I would love to hear about any examples of where this taking place, and for us to applaud those efforts and sacrifices that are being made to tackle this all important issue head on.

The self reflective questions range on and it can become quite a consuming spiral of moments of great confidence to self-doubt and back again. Yet the one question that keeps going around in my mind of late is why do I want to lead? And the opinion I’ve started to form is that this question underpins the answers to all of the other ones.

My reasoning is simply this: if my motivation to lead others is ultimately about me, then perhaps my own imperfections will prevent me from ever getting past myself to truly lead. However, if my motivation is about others, then it doesn’t matter what strengths, techniques or ideas I apply, simply that I’m there with an outstretched hand to help. And there are lots of ways in which to help others, especially if the motivation is not self-serving.

I probably didn’t explain that very well, but I’ve realised that the type of leadership we hear least about is probably the most important. We’re surrounded by leaders, some great, some not so much, many trying hard to be good. I can learn from all of them, but most of all I’d like to start understanding and learning about the people and ideas that lift people up. Leadership that enables and empowers others to gain benefits that impact their lives and the wider community in which they live and work.

Uplifting leadership. That sounds like something worth learning about.